Gazette Thank You Letter for Oct. 24

It has come to my attention that Lady's Island lost a fine man, Freddie Alston, a few weeks ago.

He was our postman for so long. It seems like forever. Always polite, kind and caring about our families, he knew everyone on his route and we knew how his family was and how his day was going.

I remember a time when my mother was having difficulty getting across the street to the mailbox to pick up her mail, and before I knew it he was delivering it to her back door where she could reach it. He helped her with all kinds of things and always with a smile. Mom thought he was the nicest man she had ever met.

And she would expect it of me to write his praises, out of the respect and love she had for him.

I miss them both.

Marjorie Mitchell

Beaufort

For literacy efforts

National Family Literacy Day is celebrated across the nation Nov. 1.

On behalf of the Beaufort County School District and the Together for Beaufort Partnership for Adult Literacy, we salute our community family literacy programs. These initiatives are designed to recruit and give priority to parents and guardians of children up to 5 years old who are considered to be at risk for school failure.

Research studies have shown that the main factors affecting a child's success in school are family, home and community. We know, for example, that children's reading scores improve dramatically when their parents are involved in helping them to learn. We know that low family income and a mother's lack of education are the two biggest risk factors that hamper a child's early learning and development.

Now more than ever, the ability to read, write and communicate effectively is essential for success. The family literacy approach harnesses the strength of parent-child bonds to help those who are at greatest risk of failing economically, emotionally and socially. Parents are offered special opportunities to improve their literacy skills and education levels while simultaneously promoting the school readiness of their preschool-age children. Our goal is to provide every family with opportunities to learn. Family literacy ensures that the cycle of learning and progress passes from one generation to the next.

Kay Newsome

Beaufort County School District

Director of School Readiness

Beaufort

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